The Government of Canada has signed a Foreign Military Sales Letter of Offer and Acceptance to procure up to 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft as part of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) project.
With this deal, Canada becomes the fifth NATO nation to have selected the P-8 as its multi-mission aircraft, joining eight defence partners, including all of the FIVE EYES allies; the intelligence alliance that includes the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The first delivery of the multi-mission aircraft is expected in 2026.
“The P-8 will bolster Canada’s defense capability and readiness, and we look forward to delivering this capability to the Royal Canadian Air Force,” said Heidi Grant, president, Business Development for Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
“Together with our Canadian partners, we will deliver a strong industrial and technological benefit package that guarantees continued prosperity to Canada’s aerospace and defense industry.”
The P-8 is the only solution currently in service and in production that meets CMMA’s requirements, including range, speed, endurance, and payload capacity. This decision will have a significant impact on numerous Canadian companies and will benefit Canada for decades to come through the platform’s maintenance and support.
According to an independent study by Doyletech Corporation in 2023, the P-8 acquisition will create nearly 3,000 jobs and generate $358 million in annual economic output for Canada.
“This is a very important day for the Royal Canadian Air Force and for Boeing,” said Charles “Duff” Sullivan, managing director, Boeing Canada. “The P-8 offers unmatched capabilities and is the most affordable solution for acquisition and life-cycle sustainment costs. There’s no doubt the P-8 will protect Canada’s oceans and its borders for future generations.”
Boeing’s P-8 Canadian industry partnership, known as Team Poseidon, is comprised of several key players including CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada, and StandardAero. This collaborative team builds upon the existing network of 81 Canadian suppliers to the P-8 platform, as well as over 550 Boeing suppliers across all provinces.
Through this partnership, Boeing contributes approximately CAD $4 billion to Canada’s economy annually, while also supporting over 14,000 Canadian jobs. The P-8 aircraft has already demonstrated its effectiveness with over 160 deliveries or in-service aircraft and a collective flight time of 560,000 hours. Its capabilities span various areas such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief response.
